[Ineras]

Oh boy, Simgot about to wreak havoc on my bank account again...

 

[Redcarmoose]

What brand are the wide bore purple please ?

Those came with the Rose Technics Ceramics, and they are my favorites.

 

[MidnightSun]

I tried, I can hear a little difference but it is not like either of the IEMs made it sound bad or that it felt like a huge difference? I tried with the Aurora song and also with Little Lies from Fleetwood Mac. In the end I felt the Delci sounded a tad more natural to my ears. There were no cringe moments and the difference didn't seem huge either. I didn't notice any differences in the positioning but to tell the truth I already have difficulty matching the volumes of the IEMs so maybe this analyzing is not for me? But at the same time it is still highly interesting.
Now I am going to try and AB test some tracks between my Shanling M3U and Hiby R6P2, see if I can pick up anything there. I only played around a bit trying to see if I could hear the difference between class A and AB mode on the R6P2 after receiving it yesterday and while I feel I could pick up on it, it is also not a shocking difference.

You can also try to listen "how close" you think the microphone to Bon Jovi is when he opens the song with the first line at 0:45. How aggressive, "between your eyes" is that "Tommy"?
Alternatively, listen to Ariana Grande with eyes closed, and compare how "stuffed" you hear her nose when she sings. Does she have a cold but tries to hide it? Can you hear her "faking" it?

You do this for a couple of hours with all your sets for a couple of days, and you'll be perfect. Better performing sets extract better spatial information, so such effects of tuning differences get dead obvious above 200 USD/EUR in my experience.

 

[pradiptacr7]

I haven’t heard the tangzu iem, but I’m quite surprised you said the M5E has more low end warmth while the XuanWu Gate is more neutral as the graphs suggest the XuanWu Gate has thicker lower mids more midbass and more low end warmth.

What are those tips you’re using on the M5E, are they foams?

I've used Divinus Velvet Tips. And yes, everytime I've tested with the same source for both I've heard quite a large difference in bass response.

For the graph I think this XuanWu Gate graph is not accurate. Check the below graph. It's quite accurate from what I've heard in XuanWu Gate.

 

[lgcubana]

so now I'm tapping out for the summer. No more purchases of IEMs until 11.11

Same here. Even though I hit a jackpot, by dipping back into the sub $50 teir, with the CCA Trio. Like any recovering addict, I started making more unneeded purchases: TRN ST7 and the Kefine Delci.

If I were new to single DDs, then the Delci would make all of the sense cents (because it's under $50), in the world. Just as the iBasso IT01 redefined the top of the <$100 tier, the Delci and the CCA Trio redefine the spectrum, of the sub $50 tier.

If Kefine could bring together the Delci and the Klanar and make a more better baby, than the Moondrop May, I would have to revoke my moratorium.

 

[fidgeraldo]

If I were new to single DDs, then the Delci would make all of the sense cents (because it's under $50)

The lowest price I could find on Aliexpress is 68€.
Still, looking really good.

Cheers!

 

[theintention]

Ya the little hexagon icon is Rose Technics for sure. I actually prefer that name to the new Roseselsa but . Not my company so I'm sure they won't care about my preference lol

lol hmmm love to read this as I have one of their products in for review


Hahaha

 

[lgcubana]

The lowest price I could find on Aliexpress is 68€.
Still, looking really good.

Cheers!

Gotta strike, when there are site wide coupons available. The next two are:

1. June 1st is "Choice Day"
2. June 12th, "Summer Sale"

 

[-rowan-]

Unique Melody 3DT (aka TERMINATOR).

Big thank you to @Neweymatt for letting me borrow his personal unit and grumpy pepe @grumpy213 for sending the IEM over.

Years ago when I was wet behind the ears, I wanted to blind buy this IEM from musicteck but I chickened out. I wouldn’t be disappointed if I went for it.

This IEM might be one of the first 3DD IEMs in the world (yes, it’s an old IEM). It has a tight, snappy, and dynamic presentation rather than big wooly and “analogue” like you would expect from 3DD and the wooden shells. The treble, likely 5kHz region, can flare up in some tracks, but fine with most of my library.

The upper treble extension is as expected behind the Anni 2023 and thus micro detail and the reverberation sound is not as apparent. But the details within the midrange is quite good.

The strength of this IEM besides the dynamic presentation is the wide stage and the unique way it shapes the stage. For example, when I watch an episode of big bang theory, it creates a strong impression that the laugh track (or live audience) is behind my ears to the back of my head.

Edit:


Nicer photo in daylight. This IEM has beautiful shells in real life. Given how I was very unimpressed by MEST III build, I’m surprised that it is this well done.

This made me unearth and revisit my UM 3DT with my current gear.

And wow, I didn’t remember or expect this sense of space.

With stock tips, mids are less forward than I’m used to these days but still very much present. Fast, punchy attack in the bass. Sub bass rumble is subtle but perceptible. Pretty nice for electronica so I’m going to coax a little more sub bass from it. Upper mids/lower treble a bit too boosted and harsh for my timbral preferences. The stock cable has long been put away; I recall thinking in 2021 that its ear hooks were so 2016 and I’ve no desire to revisit that.

Now I find that tip and cable pairings circa 2024 make quite a difference to my enjoyment of the 3DT and it scales up well (scroll on now if this isn’t your jam).

Baroque tips are the clear winner for now - brings out more sub bass and keeps it airy on top.

Favourite pairings are the Quattro and Ronin stock cables (tried half a dozen aftermarket cables and still went back to these). Both of them bump up the bass and flesh out the mids; the Quattro cable smooths out the lower treble better, but the Ronin cable is more resolving and bass is more fun. Among aftermarket cables, I enjoyed gold plated coppers like Raphael and GC4 most with the 3DT.

With the bass and mids dialled in now, I really can’t get over the 3DT’s unusually spacious imaging. Much wider than it’s deep. Not very deep at all. But positional cues are unusually strong and compelling - instruments and sounds are very clearly and specifically situated, and it handles layering well. It’s quite immersive and trippy. Did I say I’m really digging this for electronica?

These are going back into rotation.

If you plan to buy this interchangeable plug cable from XINHS, my advice is: DON’T.

I thought it was a good deal and grabbed 3 last year. One of the worst deal ever. It audibly drop the sound quality of my IEMs. Testing the Andro with R4 using this cable, the sound was so poor that I had to take the stock (also pretty horrid in a different way) cable from CFA to compare. Yep, the XINHS cable is the cause.

This is why I’m in Team Fixed Plugs all the way. I grabbed the same cable, probably at the same sale, but with a fixed plug, as a cheapie for use as a beater and can’t say I’ve had any complaints about it degrading sound quality.

Obviously I can’t compare them as I don’t have the modular plug version or any plans to buy it, not even for science. But I’ve had issues with other plugs and adaptors degrading sound quality, so it isn’t inconceivable.

 

[Rambone]

It's new IEM day, how exciting! Fresh from the mailbox.

 

[OceanOfLight]

It's new IEM day, how exciting! Fresh from the mailbox.

Congratulations on the purchases! I hope you’ll enjoy the ST7 as much as I do. As for the CCA-CRA Pro, I’m eagerly waiting to hear your impressions. Have fun!

 

[activatorfly]

Rhapsody sounds next level now after switching out the cable (found an uber old 8-core NICEHCK SPC) & attached wide-bore spinfit tips. Additionally, I flicked up the last switch > UUUU config......gamechanger - stage is much more 3D now, it totally shines...Cheers !!

 

[jbfps116]

Akros said that the Tangzu Xuan NV isn't as good as the Trio which has me screaming internally because I BADLY want that lovely red IEM over the rather ugly gray Trio... hmm.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Haven't bought IEMs for probably close to a year now. Caved and impulse ordered some stuff today. Felt bad about it. Put in my beloved T800s. Remembered I don't need more IEMs. Cancelled order.

Feels bad man. But also good?

My longest stretch since I wandered into this hobby and this thread was if I remember correctly 8 months? 9 months? That was broken up by the purchase of my first TWS IEM, which less than a year later, doesn't work. I had that stretch and maybe a 5 month stretch before that, that got broken up by the purchase of the IE600, but those would be my longest stretches. Inevitably, I cave and buy something on sale.

 

[warrenpchi]

Inevitably, I cave and buy something on sale.

May happiness bless you no matter what you're listening to!